Bravery
by CelestialLoverxxx
Summary: Rebellions will rise. Fairy Tail is destroyed and the mages are forced to fight their way through a bloodbath between friends and enemies alike to be a part of the one dark guild and its new ideas of a society. In the midst of it, Lucy finds herself struggling to determine which path of bravery she will choose, and whether the boy who attacks her yet protects her is who she loves.
1. Chapter 1- Divided

**I got inspired by writing about dystopia, so I combined Fairy Tail with it :P It is a random story idea, and I will make it a short story, but since this is the first chapter I have not introduced much here...so forgive me XD**

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**Chapter One- Divided **

Today is the day.

I take one single deep breath before I exhale slowly. I smooth back my braided blonde hair again and tighten the jacket around myself. There is a mirror in front of me. But I do not look at it. I do not want to see myself. I will just end up remembering and crying.

As I walk to the Fairy Tail Guild—_was _a guild, I correct myself—I barely notice the craters in the streets. I ignore the ashen buildings and the burnt shops. I do not see the once beautiful trees of Magnolia charred by battles.

I step over the broken stone columns and have no need to push open a door as I walk onto the wooden floors of the Guild. The door is broken, fragile, hanging precariously.

Everyone is already present. Or, most of everyone. Everyone who is alive.

My eyes meet my best friend, Natsu Dragneel's, for a moment. Then I walk over to where the rest of my team is standing.

"Lucy," Natsu tried to speak eagerly. His voice shakes and he stops.

I bite my lip and do not speak. I may sob.

Gray Fullbuster touches my back lightly. "Master is not here yet."

Erza Scarlet, the last and most ferocious member of the team does not greet me but a look of understanding passes between us. _Any moment now_.

One week, simply seven days ago, the darkest guild Tartarus broke in. They were joined by Grimoire Heart. After all that Fairy Tail had achieved—after all _Natsu_—had achieved, they lost.

The city was wiped out; the battle to destroy Magnolia or protect Magnolia went on for three days. But every guild was destroyed. Worse still, they had manipulated Sabretooth to join them.

I realize now, what they want. Or I think I do. We were held captives until the masters of each Guild were informed about the new lifestyle of the guild members, the people. We were to be divided into quarters. I remember some details about we were to trained by the Alliance until we formed the army they wanted. Then, there would be only one Guild. One Dark Guild for the entire Fiore. Or for the world, if this is what the Alliance choose to do. Pull every guild under their control and play with it until it turns into one special toy.

Fairy Tail was destroyed. Every guild in Magnolia, with the exception of Sabretooth was. We have to fight, and we have to be a part of the army.

I choose to fight. I choose to be a part of the Guild, unlike the many who quit out of fear.

Because I know, that being a part of the army means I have a place to stand. Being controlled entirely by the Alliance…I cannot let that happen. I never thought I would think of this, but right now, waiting for Master Makarov to send us into various parts of Fiore to be trained and then to meet at Domas Flau to fight _each other _and leave nothing but the cruelly strong standing for the Alliance, I do think of it. I think of a rebellion. I think of the people who I will make take part in it.

The image of Cana and Bisca dying fills my mind again and I bite back a sob. I cannot help but remember, though. How can I forget Alzack, trying to protect Bisca and the sight of Minerva cutting through them both? How can I forget Levy—I blink back tears—being killed from behind faster than she could blink. Gajeel, who chooses to quit rather than to join the army which killed the girl he loved. Or Happy, who nobody realized had died until two days ago. Worst of all, Wendy. She was so small. So weak. It was all so fast.

At least, she did not feel the pain. I hope she is in peace.

"Lucy," Gray whispers in my ear. His dark blue eyes meet mine and I nod as I look away from them, facing a Makarov so covered in bandages I can hardly recognize him.

I expected to listen to every word he said. But as I hear him speak of everyone who had died and repeat how perhaps not even one of us could make it through into the army if the Alliance wished, I tune him out. I do not want to listen.

It is only when he raises his frail voice to announce which of the categories we shall be forced to train in at Tarturus's Headquarters that I look up at him again.

"Two of you will be in each section," His voice shakes with suppressed sorrow. These are not the rules he wishes to command us, but we have no choice. If we run, they find us. If we fight now, they kill us. If we refuse, they kill us.

"And…children," he said, his eyes sweeping over each of us and lingering on every head. "I don't know whether you will be in even the same part of Fiore."

A stab of pain runs through my chest. How far would we be from each other? I see Natsu and Erza look at me, but I do not look back.

"Natsu and Mirajane, 1." Makarov starts. He has it memorized. He probably spent an entire night looking at the list. Feeling sorry.

I feel glad for them. They will be together. They will have each other. I smile at Mirajane, who returns a soft smile of her own.

"Lisanna and Erza, 2."

I feel happy for them too. I wait with bated breath for my name to be called as Makarov continues down the list, but it does not come. At last, when six of us is left, my name is called.

"Lucy and Gray, 15."

I feel giddy with relief. Gray will be there. I will not be paired up with no one at all. His hand laces into mine and squeezes it gently.

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My fingers leave Natsu's as I walk away with Gray and the other members of the 15 Quarter as we call it. His onyx eyes soften and he smiles just a little before he turns and walks away too. We are to be put under different members. That is why they choose to divide us into these quarters. It is like the Grand Magic Games, only deadlier. With no referee to choose right and wrong.

If you win, it is right. If you die, it is right.

If you show one inch of refusal against the Alliance, it is wrong. And wrong means one word. Death. And I try not to flirt with it.

Lisanna and Erza had both hugged me tight. Mirajane had simply put one arm around my shoulders and whispered into my hair; "We'll fight. But we'll fight together."

I know what she means. We will rebel.

Gray walks solidly by my side now as we march out from the dark headquarters of Tartarus and make our way to our respective training places. We will be in Crocus, the closest to the arena of all the categories before the final guild is established. I feel sorry for Droy. He has to train in the ruins of Magnolia. With thirty of us and a hundred more of the other guilds, many will be in the same place in Fiore, but far from each other. Perhaps, underground.

"Are you okay?" Gray asks me, as we walk together. We are led by a man in a hood, our commander and member for Alliance, but he has not yet introduced himself.

I shrug. "It will be a while."

He sighs. "We have to fight each other you know. Not today, but someday. When we get through the training."

I look at him, shocked. My eyes find his and I speak softly; "No, Gray. We will fight together."

He is intelligent, thank heavens. He reads the word _rebellion_ I scream at him behind the thin veil of saying _together_, which will seem an act of love to an outsider eavesdropping.

His eyes are cast down, his raven hair covering his forehead. "If we survive."

My patience with my friend snaps. I was wrong to think I could survive with Gray there for me. "You make me feel positive right now, Gray. Like a death sentence."

He glares at me for a moment and then sighs. "I'm sorry."

I do not speak. I do not forgive him nor do I act childish and say I do not care. And that is because we have reached an open ground with ashen gray grass. In the centre, a dark blue orb appears.

The Alliance member steps forward and speaks in a clear, but heavy voice; "Step through it."

"Through it?" A girl exclaims from behind. "It is Dark Magic! I read about this. It's a Transporter Spell, right?"

Our commander does not move but then says in a quiet voice, "What is your name?"

"L-Lucy." My head jerks automatically at the sound of my name. It is a common name, but is strange to hear. Gray looks at me.

"Well, Lucy, are you scared of Dark Magic?"

"I…I will not step through it. People die. It's Lost Magic, even you should not use it."

"Lucy, please step forward."

I would have said no, if I had been that stupid girl who shared my name. But the tone of our commander is deadly. Too quiet. Too steady. The foolish girl steps forward hesitantly, latching on to the boy beside her. She looks as if she wishes she never spoke.

"Closer."

We watch with terror as she steps close to him. With ten of us here, all mages, we can easily kill this one man. But we are drained of Magic force after days of battle. And if word spreads, something bad will happen to all the other mages.

A sharp gasp leaves my lips as the man thrusts a hand through Lucy's chest and she crumples to the ground. Dead.

"We do not favour the weak," he said calmly, as if he did not just kill a young girl by nothing but a mere thrust through her heart.

"No!" the boy who was standing next to her screams. "No, Lucy! No!"

My name being screamed out disturbs me.

"Please keep quiet." The hooded man says quietly. After what the Alliance member just did, I expected him to move forward and end the life of the boy too.

"Forward."

Nobody protests. The idea does not occur to me either. If the member in charge of us will go through it himself—which he will, as it is the only way to reach Crocus since the trains along with the stations were wrecked in the battle—then it is safe.

The second my skin comes in contact with the blue orb, I feel a tugging sensation. I expected that. However, my view of the gray field disappears and I am facing blurred colours in every side. I catch glimpses of Magnolia, the Kardia Cathedral and then bits of Crocus. There is a heavy pressure on my chest as if my very heart is being pulled.

My eyes close in the pain and I realize I do not have air to breathe. Then all of a sudden, the left side of my body comes in contact with a hard surface and air gushes in through my parted lips as I inhale.

I am on the clean concrete pavements of Crocus. Something is wrong. All around me, the people who went through the spell ahead of me and Gray are getting up. But the town is untouched by battle except for the few houses of the non-mages.

Anger flares in me. Were they made to move out? Will these newly formed Grand Magic Games in the arena of Domas Flau simply be used as entertainment for the Alliance before we are forced to form a guild? Is that why this is the only town left clean?

The breath comes out of my lungs again as I feel a heavy body on top of mine. I roll away to see Gray on the ground.

"Ouch!" I complain, rubbing my back.

He gives me a quick reproachful look. "The orb's right behind you Lucy, you should have moved."

I do not reply, feeling sheepish, as I notice the orb in its place. It is golden instead of blue.

It is, as we move towards the place headed by the Alliance's man—who appeared most gracefully, on his feet—that I catch sight of the people. I realize I was wrong, they were not made to move out. They are scared. They stare at us, some with pity and some with hatred from behind their curtains.

I turned my eyes away and look down. I let my blonde hair shield my pink face from the people I do not know staring at me as if their eyes will devour me.

Someone's soft hand brushes against my left hand. My right is encloses by Gray's warm hand. I look to my left and notice the person for the first time. _Oh._

_Oh. Oh!_

She too, has put up a hood around herself. Her height being short, I had not noticed her. Or anyone, for that matter, too wrapped up in my thoughts.

Tears threaten to spill from my blurry eyes. My hand shakes and I hold in the sharp gasp of disbelief as I whisper brokenly; "Wendy?"

She nods, smiling. "I survived."

I have no time to hug her and tell her I'll keep her safe. If I can. "Why didn't you come to the Guild?"

"I was unconscious, until the morning. I didn't know you guys were at the…the guild," She closes her eyes and opens them again as she speaks. "I saw you, when you were going to that stupid blue thing from Tartarus's headquarters…I was unconscious there."

"And you joined us? Oh no, Wendy! It's only two members from every guild," My voice is laced with anguish.

"I know that, but Levy gave me something. It's important! She kept saying a something about a reb-rebel…something."

I almost laugh at Wendy's expression as she struggles to say rebellion. Levy had known, we had accepted all options even before defeat. She had suspected we would be forced to join them, but had not once accepted defeat, despite our low magic. But for her to die before she even said goodbye…

I swallow hard.

"Just keep hidden. We'll figure out a way."

I glance at Gray. He has already seen the little Dragon Slayer; his eyes are wide, frozen in shock. For Wendy to survive the blow she had received and not Levy…Wendy was strong at her age. Levy had been unprepared, which is unfair.

"Later," I whisper to him.

Suddenly, everyone stops again, directly under the heat. I stand too, confused. Then my blood runs cold as I see our commander stand directly in front of me. I can see his pale nose and soft curves of his mouth. I can see his firm cheekbones, angles perfectly, but I cannot see his eyes.

"This is not a picnic," he spits the words. "You will _die,_ you realize that? We could have simply killed you all in a single fight, but we are lenient. You get to be trained, and if chatting with your boyfriend," he gestured harshly towards the joined hands of Gray and I. "Is considered training, give me one reason not to kill you right now and make elimination easier."

I drop Gray's hand. I should feel embarrassed, but hate and anger boils in my stomach, hot and strong. "You just want to watch a good fight."

"And if it is true?" he whispers dangerously.

"Then you'll miss out on it if you kill me." I am not afraid of being this cocky to this man. I am not.

And I _know_ that they are yet to convince—no, manipulate and kill—the remaining guilds over Fiore before we will be made to fight. For the time being…

This society that they want to form, it is a new one. They will make us train, they will form a proper guild.

How orderly and right it could have seemed, if it were in the hands of the Magic Council. For once, I appreciate it.

I see white light around my eyes as I find myself staggering backwards. I did not see his hand come towards me, but I feel the impact of his punch over the right half of my face.

"Thank me. If you weren't that _brave_," he tilts my chin up, grabbing my hands with the other hand so I cannot protest. "You would be dead."

"Go to hell," I spit into his face.

Whatever I can see of his face hardens in anger and he throws me back. I heard Gray shout in anger but it seems distant. I am to land on the ground, but I kick my heels behind me at the last moment, and stand up unstably, but gracefully.

He walks away to the front to lead again and I start to move my legs again. My eyes smart but in anger, and I feel the bruise forming on cheek. My right eye does not open fully. What kind of a person is this man?

Gray brushes my cheek. I assure him with a roll of my eyes I am okay.

After a good ten minutes, we reach a bend in the street. My attacker stops and presses his palm to two symbols drawn on the cornerstone. I peer closer to see the insignias of Tartarus Guild and Grimoire Heart Guild. Another insignia has been scratched off—Oracein Seis—and I see an empty space in the pattern made by the joined insignias, and figure that is where Sabertooth's honour will lie.

A jagged crack splits the stone in half, and the whole pavement divides. I wait for him to tell us to jump, but there is no need. Dark Magic, I guess, erupts from the sides and we are thrust forwards towards the stone. Then I hear my own scream combined with everyone else's as we drop into the crevice.

The sun disappears above us.

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**I hope this was good...please review, tell me if it's off to a bad start so I can change it or delete it, okay? :)**


	2. Chapter 2- Zeref

**Thanks to Moushie, petra dujmovic 90, Darkwarrior1010, Shifuku, StarryPanda, Yuiina, arcangel12, manic kitty and leoslady4ever for following :) Here's the next chapter, sorry for the length, it's purely because I am lazy :P**

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**Chapter Two- Zeref**

I was right.

I look around myself at the dark brown rocks surrounding us. Sunlight is a mere trickle through a tiny gap in the dirt and rocks all the way up to the pavement of Clover Town. There is a practically inaudible _thump_ and the sunlight is cut off. The cornerstone has re-sealed itself. I was right to suspect some of us would be training underground.

Our instructor—my attacker—faces us. It is far too dark to see anything, yet his pale skin akin to that of Gray's stands out even in the dimness. His hands are exposed from the forearm courtesy of the sleeve of his black robes which end in a quarter cut at the crook of his elbow. His robes are lined with a thick golden colour and his collar is turned down, so the lower part of his face I saw before is exposed along with his neck. I see a flash of white garments under the robe as he turns to us.

"You will be training here," he announces. "For a week."

"And not go up at all?" someone questions from behind me. I pray for him.

However, the blessing from the Alliance makes no movement which may pose as a threat to any of us. His voice is still of the normal tone; I have learnt that he is dangerous only when he is too quiet.

"You will go up, twice a day. In the early morning, which is part of training. And at noon."

A small sob interrupts his voice. I glance behind me, wincing when my right eye protests as I try to squint. An ice-blue haired girl presses a palm to her face as she tries to stop crying.

Gray nudges me. "Isn't that Yukino?"

I peer closer and remember the cloud of feathers that surrounded her during the Games, her smug face and her carefully composed attire akin to that of her face and manners. She now clutches her pale white dress against herself, still sobbing. I cannot see her face in the darkness, just her hair and her dress.

Yukino Aguria of Sabertooth.

Sabertooth?

I look up at Gray, frowning. "Wasn't she—?"

"In case anyone would like an introduction," the Alliance member continues, irritated. "I am Zeref."

The name rolls over the crowd. It is unfamiliar—I don't think I remember which guild Zeref is from.

"Now please follow me," he says in his clear voice. "I need to show you the way, since you obviously cannot handle a little Dark Magic."

I see a lopsided smirk on his lips at that and anger surges in me in a flash. He was probably remembering the girl who shared my name, Lucy, who he killed back then because she refused to dwell in Dark Magic.

My right eye stings and I resist the urge to punch Zeref back. I want to wipe that smirk of his face. I surprise myself; I am not violent.

"Ouch, Luce!"

I blink and snap out of my fantasies and we begin to walk after Zeref. Gray shoots me a meaningful look.

"What?" I mumble.

"My hand!"

I look down and notice I was crushing Gray's hand. My fingers were digging into his pale skin, making it red, and I quickly let go. "So sorry."

"What's wrong? Are you scared or something?"

I almost laugh at his protectiveness. "No. I was…thinking of ways to punch…Zeref."

Gray gives me a grin. "Whatever you say, weirdo." His eyes are still sad. He will take time to process everything, like me. I don't blame him, but I love him for still making jokes.

I try to ignore Yukino sobbing behind us. I am still full of curiosity as to how she is here, considering her guild is a part of the Alliance.

My legs begin to feel like lead as I walk and both me eyes fight to stay open. I didn't realize how long we have been walking, but everyone around me has already slowed their pace down.

Just when I feel like collapsing onto the rocks right there and then and sleeping, Zeref stops in front a heavily gilded stone doors which he pushes open.

A collective gasp follows and I try to look ahead. Then the crowd parts for Zeref to take the lead and I get a better view. My eyes widen.

The space is circular. A ten inch greyish-blue stone floor stretches out from the doorway and goes all around the vast area. And after those ten inches there is a wide chasm which is too dark to see but its presence is obvious. A shaft of light enter the place from above where there must be a clearing in the rocks.

Someone daring walks a few steps onto the stone floor and then peers down. I hold my breath as Zeref suddenly steps forward, his hand stretched.

Is he going to push him?!

"Nicky!" A boy yelps from among us. But Zeref merely grabs his shoulders and pushes him back roughly.

"Inexperience leads to your death here," he says quietly, again. "And irrationality leads to foolish choices. Such as your wish to express bravery by flirting with death. Move away."

Does he need to speak like that? It makes me want to slap him across the face and give him an idea of how people normally speak.

"Nerd," Gray whispers in my ear.

I cannot help it. I laugh. It sounds off and it comes out in the form of a sudden outburst, but I laugh. I look up at Gray, still grinning as he smiles back cheekily at me.

The Nicky boy returns among us. The other boy who called his name, who I assume must be his brother, grabs his arm and yanks him behind himself. "Idiot!" he whispers to him.

"You will each pass through the chasm," Zeref says.

Again, his choice of prepositions confuses me. How can one pass _through _a chasm?

"And face a situation each. I must remind you, hesitation is not allowed. There is a difference with hesitation and caution, and if protecting your guild should ever need hesitancy, then you are not fit to be here."

I don't understand anything he says. My mind spins and I feel sleepy.

"Firstly though," Zeref says. "I want you all to erase and replace your respective guild-marks. Then you will pass your test through the chasm. Then you will all assemble where you reach and be at rest for today. We are lenient, like I said."

His eyes are still covered with the silly hood, but I am sure they must be cold and calculating.

"Training," he continues. "Begins this very second!"

The first girl steps forward. I was too sleepy to remember all of the Alliance man's words, but I snap back to my senses when I see her erase her guild mark with her own powers. What? No.

No. I am not erasing the Fairy Tail insignia, I can't!

Then a more pressing problem pushes down. Wendy! She too had a mark of Fairy Tail, she couldn't be found out. Then one of the three of us would be killed because there was not supposed to be more than two of every guild.

"Wendy," I whispered quickly. The people in front of me lessens. "Fast, lower your cloak. Over your shoulder."

She understands quick. She immediately uncovers her mark, and I shield her from the other people as I use as little power I can draw from the already less left to remove her mark. My fingers sting.

"It's done. Tell them, you were ki—" I am pushed forward by Gray in front of Zeref before I can finish. Oh. It's my turn.

I take a deep breath. Then I close my eyes and repeat the magic. My throat closes up and my lips tremble as I open my eyes again to the burning back of my hand. There is no pink insignia.

Zeref touches my left shoulder to guide me forward on to the gray-blue floor but I cringe away from his hand. I am satisfied to see him withdraw shakily.

When I step forward, there is no one. People have already jumped into the situations they have to face. I look around, unsure of what to do, when the Nicky boy whispers to me from behind.

"Jump! Like my brother did!"

What? Jump? I want to sleep…

My eyes widen again as I snap out of my drowsiness when Zeref moves forward, his fingers around Nicky's throat. "Stop. Talking." He hisses.

I let out a strangled cry of disbelief and protest and then breath in a sigh of relief as Zeref releases the boy who helped me. I shoot him an apologetic look and then turn around.

Then I jump into a chasm.

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**Hope it's good. Please review! :)**


	3. Chapter 3- Fear

**Chapter Three- Fear**

Sharp pain shoots up from my toes to my ankles and all the way to my knee cap. My fingers come in contact with a hard polished surface and I feel dust collect underneath my fingernails.

I had felt nothing but the strong wind as I fell. I had felt strangely trapped in such a humongous place—the floor and the deep-cut walls surrounding me and being able to see nothing expect the brownish-black and jagged surfaces of the rocks when the sunlight fell on them, panic took over me.

As I looked up, the floor seemed to become distant and my breath came out in short ragged gasps in fear. I didn't know how to escape this feeling until I landed hard on my feet.

I look down. My lips part in surprise. I stand on a long, yellowish-white platform. It stretches out far behind me and far in front of me, and the width cannot be more than twenty inches. I don't see how it is fixed—the sunlight is less here—but I am deep inside and there are no more platforms to my sides.

"Uh, hello?" I croak. My voice breaks with lack of water and sleep for hours. "Where's my test?"

Bad choice of words. My test appears in front of me as soon as I finish saying the words.

It's not a monster. It's not Dark Magic. It's Gray Fullbuster.

"Gray?" I move forward. "Are we supposed to be in the same—" My words are cut off as Gray moves forward swiftly and ice erupts from his fingers and form pointed ice stalagmites around me.

My hands are frozen.

I look closely at him. Then I notice his face is blank. His deep blue eyes have no emotion except a strange monotonous look.

"Gray, what's wrong with you?" A breath hitches in fear. Was he being controlled?

A voice whispers to me; "Kill him."

"What?"

It doesn't whisper in my head. It resonates all around the chasm. Like an order.

"Kill him. No hesitation."

All of a sudden, I see that Gray's Fairy Tail insignia is intact on his chest. If it is really him, how is he still marked? Zeref would never allow it.

Then it hits me. Oh. I am supposed to kill without hesitation. This is not caution, like Zeref said. No wonder my fear of killing Gray is the Gray I have always seen. My vision of him is always with that insignia. I have never seen devoid of it.

"Kill him."

Not real, I tell myself. I don't have time. I channel as much power I can. My keys are still on my waist. But I cannot order my spirits to kill anyone, real or magic. So I channel a bit of power from very key, and I open my eyes as I feel my little power surge to my fingertips. Erza had taught me this way of magic, to channel it all and shoot.

But I hesitate. I know the amount of magic I am about to throw at the Gray who is not moving forward with his ice. And in the second my hands shake, his swords cut my shoulder. I let out a cry of anger and shoot.

My power is drained, both from my keys as well as my additional quota. Gray disintegrates from the blast of Celestial Magic and the next second the platform does too. I fall again, but this time I close my eyes and only open them when I reach the rocky ground. My shoulder still aches and my hip does too as I land hard when I reach.

The people next to me stand huddled. This place is a wide area of grey and black stones, with doors that are gilded with gold on each side. I wait as all the other mages land on the ground.

Finally, Zeref appears. He didn't fall, but came gracefully in a standing position. I glare at his back as he turns to roughly pull up Yukino, who was injured. "Get up."

Gray stands next to me, but I can't look at him.

"Lucy," he says. "Your shoulder. That's ice magic…"

"Shut up," I say gently.

Zeref then turns to us. He examines each of us and his eyes linger on two people. One is a girl from Mermaid Heel. The other girl is me.

He approaches me first. I can't see his eyes, but I think he looks at my shoulder. "You hesitated."

I stare him down. "For a second."

"Do you think you are fit to be here then? Or did you forget the rules?"

"I am fit to be here because I'm not dead yet."

"I could help you with that," he says dangerously in my ear, getting angrier and softer. Only Gray next to me can hear his words.

"Go right ahead. _Zeref._"

Gray lets out a small gasp. Zeref's fingers close around my wrist in an iron-grip and I don't try to break free, His fingers hurt me though.

"Why did you hesitate?" he hisses.

"Because I'm not you. I care." He understands what I mean. He must know which fear I faced.

His grip loosens and I step away from him, disgusted.

"I have my eye on you," he warns me. His tone is filled with hatred and it surprises me even more. I have done nothing to him. Or is it my stubborn behaviour? In that case, I can't wait to torture him with my verbal skills further.

He moves to the boy next to me. I recognize Hibiki, from the Trimens. He is not glamorous and smirking as always. I can see his eyes are cold and his face is slack, but I can't figure out much in the dimness.

"You would hesitate to protect Tartarus?" Zeref asks him.

I begin to think of a million ways that Hibiki could have faced his fears. Perhaps it was the fact that he is forced to fight against the other guild outside Fiore and fight for Tartarus and the Alliance.

"Answer me."

Hibiki tilts his chin up. "Yes."

"Why?"

"You don't own me. This isn't a guild, it's a stupid bunch of people who want to bring chaos into the world. I see no reason to fight for it."

It takes a second for Zeref to simply thrust two fingers forwards and a jet of black erupts towards Hibiki. Hibiki moves faster than one should with this less magic power and tried to kick Zeref backwards so that he is physically as well as magically devoid.

Sadly, Zeref brushes him away to the floor. Hibiki probably glares up at him, I can see his eyes flash, but Zeref moves away from him.

He doesn't kill Hibiki.

Lastly, he moves towards Yukino. My eyes are frozen wide open in fear now, and my wish to sleep has evaporated. My shoulder still aches—I look at it closely to notice the ice shards buried right into my skin. I need to ask Gray to heal it, or Wendy. I have no experience with ice magic.

Yukino cowers in fear as he approaches. He carries a strange aura around himself, as if he should be feared. That aura rubs me off in the wrong way and instills irritation yet awe in me.

"You failed completely," Zeref says to her. They are too far to hear properly, but I shift closer.

Failed completely? As in, we hesitated yet passed. Yukino perhaps, refused to do anything at all.

"I—can't—" she started to whimper.

Zeref brought his hand down on her face, or side. I cannot see. She lets out a small cry of pain. "Stop being a coward!"

"Why did you refuse to kill her?" Zeref hisses, lifting her up by the throat. I am so disturbed to see her this way, cowering and weak instead of proud and strong, the Yukino I know.

"I can't."

I recognize the next move of Zeref as a death blow. I had seen one of his guild deliver the same blow towards Levy.

Time stops. Or Yukino stops. Her body becomes rigid and her form becomes encased in black until I realize he is killing her.

"Stop it!"

The key falls forward and Loke's Regulus forms a golden shield around Yukino and Zeref. I don't even realize when I screamed and took my key out, but Loke sensed my distress and appeared even before I summoned for him.

Yukino crumples to the ground, but her chest rises and falls, which means she is alive. Why does Zeref try to kill Yukino but now us? Why would he spare us just because we try to fight against him?

Gray pushes my arms behind myself and pulls me back as Zeref turns to me. Loke disappears as the last of my magic power gives up. I feel drained and my key would have clattered to the ground if Gray hadn't latched it onto the hold as quickly as I wanted him to.

Zeref doesn't move closer to me, but he whispers two words. "Learn sacrifice." Then he whips around and pushes the first two people in the front to enter one of the doors.

"Lucy," Gray mutters, as we wait. "Are you insane?"

"Why…" I mumble without enthusiasm. I am too focused on Zeref and too concentrated on my anger at him to pay attention to Gray.

"Ever since we came here you'll all for hurtling into a death wish," he accuses. "Shut up and lie low."

Wendy looks at me from behind Gray's arm. Her blue eyes are filled with panic. I remember she said something about Levy's message to me, and I hope I can talk to her about it.

"What did you tell him?" I mouth at her.

"That the guild kicked me out," she whispers. I nod. My shoulder throbs in sync with my head.

Then Zeref turns to us and gestures towards me, Gray, Wendy and someone else I can't see. "Go in." he points towards one of the stone doors.

I bite back the words I want to shout at him and follow after him. He stops in the middle of the floor and I simply push into the first door in front of me.

I don't know what I expected. Perhaps hard beds, like the Fairy Tail infirmary. Or sections.

There is a barren black space in front of us, compressed into what can be called a un-geometrical room. There are stones and rocks on each side and the black soil annoys me.

"Behold." I say. "A guild."

"You don't say," a nasal, high-pitched female voice replies. I turn to see Sherry of Lamia Scale. Her shocking hair colour should have caught my eye, but it is tied down, hiding most of her face, and is filled with dirt.

"Sherry?" Gray enquires.

She looks at Gray. The door behind us is still open and Wendy cannot push it back, so I push against it and close it instead. We are now in an underground barren, rocky place with no sunlight and no privacy, training to become superheroes of the dark army and bring chaos into the world. Lovely. Every girl's dream come true.

Sherry turns as soon as she meets his eyes. I don't understand it.

"Well…are we going to sleep here?" Wendy breaks the silence.

"It's impossible," I mutter.

"No, wait. Had an idea," Gray says.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Then he collides his left fist into his right palm and commands; "Ice make; Floor."

Over the left corner of this place, a steady and thick sheet of ice frosts the edges of the rocks. Then it creeps up and finally when it finds plane ground it spreads quicker than blinking and forms a twisted ice floor.

Gray manipulates it further and the ice rises above the uneven ground and fixes with frost to the sides of the walls. The sides turn to water and then ice again as they curl in, forming an ice floor which could hold a human due to the curled edges, hanging above the floor.

He repeats the magic, and in a long fifteen minutes—he starts to become weary as he finishes the second ice sheet—four ice floors stretch from rocky wall to rocky wall. One stretches in an off direction to avoid the door.

"Wow," I breathe. "You're wonderful. And a lifesaver."

Gray manages a weak smirk. "Sit on it."

I haul myself up on one of the ice-made beds and it doesn't feel as cold as it should. Sure, it's uncomfortable, but it's something.

"Won't it melt?" Wendy asks.

"I've been practicing, it won't."

"Won't we get frostbite?" I ask.

Gray glares at me and I laugh. Of course not.

I am already feeling drowsy again and I vaguely wonder how Gray managed to keep his long white and blue jacket still on, considering his stripping habits. Like Lyon Vastia, his practically-brother.

Which reminds me. "Who else came from Lamia Scale, Sherry?" I question the girl

The ice gives off a faint glow and all four together form a greyish-white light. I can see Sherry's drawn face and her sad eyes. Unlike her.

"Lyon," she says at last.

Gray immediately looks up. He has a childish feud with Lyon because of Juvia, but here I think that is discarded.

"Man, I didn't see him…" he says.

Sherry finally covers her mouth with her fingers and gulps out, "You can't see him, Gray."

I have a bad feeling about what she is about to say, but I keep my mouth shut as Gray becomes confused.

"Why not?"

"Because he's not here anymore."

"Wha—? You just said—"

"I mean he's dead, Gray!" Sherry cries at him. "You can't see him, because he's dead! Zeref…after you jumped…Lyon refused and…"

She stops the next sob and her eyes harden in fury. She turns away and goes to the farthest and first ice floor and heaves herself on it.

I look at Gray, horrified.

He blinks at Sherry for a minute. Then he sits down on the middle ice and outs his head between his hands. His raven hair covers his eyes, and he doesn't make a sound or cry out in anger. He is crying, I know. But he simply sits there.

I can't comfort him. What should I say? _I'm sorry? He was a good person? He died bravely? He was saved from fighting? Gray had been a good friend?_

I think all these, but words don't always have meaning. They don't heal one. I move away to the last ice sheet and collapse on to it. My backs stings but I ignore the cold.

Wendy looks at all of us. Tears stream down her face as I watch her from under my elbow. She's finally broken down.

I sigh and then open my arms towards her. She hiccups as she climbs next to me and I put an arm around her waist.

But right now, it's impossible for me to sleep. Wendy stops sobbing as she sinks into sleep, and even though I feel like doing the same, my eyes won't close.

I frown as I feel something poking me in the side. I look down to see a paper stashes against the belt Wendy is wearing, half hidden by the cloak.

My fingers pry it off and I open it. The familiar handwriting is Levy's.

'Sabertooth. Shadow and Light. Slayers. Ask Lucy. Control.'

It is obvious Levy scribbled this for her own information, but she must have given it to Wendy to pass it on to me during the battle. I don't remember seeing her until the time she…

I block the image.

But how was Sabertooth, a part of the Alliance, going to help us rebel? Then I look closely at the words again.

Shadow and Light. Slayers. Dragon Slayers?

Natsu, all fired up as he joked, running towards the two of them with Gajeel at the Grand Magic Games fills my mind.

There were only two such Dragon Slayers who had these two elements.

Sting and Rogue.

* * *

**Thanks to everyone following the story and reviewing :)**


	4. Chapter 4- Cruelty

**Author's Note; I would just like to add that in this story Yukino does get kicked out of Sabertooth, however, Lucy doesn't know about it until this particular chapter. As in the part where Yukino met Lucy and Natsu and spoke to them about her situation during the Grand Magic Games is not included, I deviated from that part.**

* * *

**Chapter Four- Cruelty**

I wake up with my back freezing.

The cold has settled in my right shoulder the most and it pains like someone is pushing a knife into my skin and kept it there.

My eyes feel sore as I examine my right shoulder, removing my arm from around Wendy. The ice shards are still there from my fight in the chasm and the cold on which I slept has added to the injury.

Funny. Doesn't ice numb?

When I sit up and fall to the ground unstably, I notice Gray sitting up as well. He leans against the rocks behind his ice bed. His dark blue eyes fix on my shoulder.

"Come here," he says at last.

I obey. His fingers cup around my shoulder and at first the pain increases. Then it drops to a dull pressure as I feel liquid streaming down my arm. I look to see water and blood.

The tiny ice dust left on my shoulder too melts and there is a deep bruise in its place. The blood trickled down from a corner where the ice was buried deeper than I realized. The water cleans the wound and I stare at it unhappily.

Then I reach down a tear a bit of the fabric of my top. The tear exposes the side of my torso, right above my hip. Then I wrap it around my shoulder, biting off the extras.

Gray had already looked away once he healed me. His left leg is bended up and he rests his right arm on his knee. His jaw is strained as he looks to his left.

I am about to say something, anything, to him. Then I shut my mouth and touch him lightly on the cheek before making my way to the makeshift door. It is strange, how I feel it is morning, yet the only light is the ice.

I am pretty sure we are not allowed to visit the other mages. There must be a reason we are all in the same rooms. But I need to talk to three people at the same time.

The first is Yukino Aguria.

The other two are Sting and Rogue. I have to find them, though I have an uneasy feeling that they are still a part of the Alliance and will not help me. How did Levy know anything about them?

Perhaps I should not leave Wendy with a heart-broken teenager and a grieving ice mage. I pause, my hand on the rocks. Wendy sighs and turns over in her sleep.

Then I push open the door and walk outside. Alone.

* * *

I am aware of the sunlight immediately.

I look up to see the high ceiling and dripping-with-what-looks-like-tar rocks to see an opening between them. It is the same western direction which allows sunlight in, and I suspect the rocks must be placed in a way that they allow the light.

It isn't much. Just a weak beam of white. It gives an eerie feeling to the grey-black stones of the huge floor. The doors on each side are identical.

"Perfect," I say to myself. "Find a half-dead girl in twenty identical rooms and find your way back."

Then I sigh and turn back, meaning to mark our door. But I am still drained of magic power; there is no way in which I can even summon Virgo to find me Yukino through a tunnel. I can't hold a spirit for even a second.

Feeling stupid, I bend down and pick up a loose stone. Then I wedge it in one of the many cracks near the gold and it stays there, looking like a 3D dent.

Then I try to remember.

Zeref had tried to kill Yukino when she was at the front of the line. Two other people had been ushered before her, and since it was four in each room, she must be in the first room. Every door is silent and unmoving, which must mean I am the only person up at this hour.

And the first room is…?

I am pretty sure it is the eastern most room. I walk for a good two minutes to cross the huge floor and then turn a corner. The sunlight is absent here and it is dark. The rock walls are wet in places and again, I feel claustrophobic despite the space. Then my hand touches the gilded door, as I ponder how to call her.

"You can't go in there."

I jump and stagger back at the voice. My breath comes out in a strangled mixture of shock and panic before I put a hand to my heart and calm down.

I had missed her. Yukino sits against the rocky ledges, curled up. Her knees are pushed up against her chest and she circled them with her arms. Her hair is messy, covering her face.

"I never thanked you, Fairy," she says, still not looking at me. "Thank you. For saving my life."

"I…um…" I stammer. Then I sigh and sit down on the dirt next to her. "Call me Lucy. And uh, why are you outside?"

"Eve doesn't like me. And the other two are…let's say hostile."

"Eve…?"

"From Blue Pegasus."

I don't question her about Eve any longer. I expect Hibiki had a fight with him and thus they were so far apart in the lines. I have never seen the Trimens as they call themselves apart when placed in the same grounds, much less in a place like this. I wonder vaguely about their third member, Ren.

"So, I…wanted to ask you something," I begin.

Yukino finally looks up at me. Her eyes are wet and her shoulders shake. Her ice blue hair is matted against her forehead and her expression is subconsciously scared. I try to ignore that and say; "Is Sabertooth a part of the…Alliance?"

Her voice trembles. "Yes."

"But then, why are you—"

"I am no longer part of the guild. I was kicked out."

My eyes widen. So she was without a guild, a mage without a home. No wonder she was singled out as an easy target, her being strong and all. But Zeref probably took her for weak when she acted so last night.

"Anything else?"

"Um," It hurts me to question her like this when she is obviously dealing with a lot, but I fire anyway. "Do you know where Sting and Rogue might be?"

Her eyes harden in cold anger. "No. _They_ agreed to help Jiemma."

"Jiemma is here?" The infamous ruthless guild master of Sabertooth. I still shudder when I think of him.

"Why else do you think the others agreed? We are strong enough to beat the Alliance if we want to, unlike Fairy Tail—oh," she looks at me apologetically and then slides her eyes away. "But anyway. Minerva and her father's blood thirsty need for power…of course everyone agreed. They are scared."

My mind spins at the complications of Sabertooth. One part tells me they are capable of being good, the other says otherwise. I touch my temples.

"So, they are going to win over the guilds then?"

Yukino gives me a sad smile. "No. They train with us, not beside, but with. And then they use us to win. Since when do you think dark guild do their own dirty work?"

I try to understand this never-ending thirst for power.

I lean my head back against the walls. The rocks jutting out send a stab of annoying pain through my head. I am about to ask one last thing to Yukino, when I feel myself get lifted above the ground by my neck.

My bare legs, courtesy of the stupid shorts I wore, scrape against the narrow passage to the first room as fingers tighten around my throat. I choke a bit, trying to shout. My eyes squeeze shut.

Before I kick back, sure it is Zeref, the fingers release me. They leave a strange pressure on my throat.

I breathe out once and then turn. Yukino stands up behind me. Then I raise an eyebrow as I look at the boy who had told me to jump, Nicky.

"What was that for?" I ask him. He is good-looking, in a ruggedly handsome way. He has dirty-blonde hair which is tousled and falls over his grey eyes and is thin but taller than me. His cheekbones are high and stand out a bit.

He mimics my expression, cocking an eyebrow. "Well, Mr. Cheerful _did _try and strangle me last night because I was the gentleman and told you what to do, so I figured I should repay you for the honour."

His words would sound cruel, if I was not drawn by his mischievous eyes. He stretches a hand as he finishes speaking, his lips pulling up at the corners. "Nicky. Phoenix Grave."

I stare at his hand. "My throat hurts."

"You'll get over it."

We look at each other for a minute, assessing the other. Then I sigh and take his hand. "Lucy Heartfilia, Fairy Tail. Pleased to be strangled."

"Pleasure's all mine."

I grin as Yukino interrupts us with a soft gasp. She grabs my shoulder and pulls me back into the shadows—not very hard, really, considering the little light—and Nicky follows.

I peer around his shoulder to see Zeref walk at a slow pace to the centre of the grey stoned floor. He wears the same gold-lined and black coat and the same hood covers his eyes.

It's too late to find Sting and Rogue now. And too late to get back into my room. My fingers unconsciously tighten around the scrap of paper I stole from Wendy, and I wedge it in the lining of my shorts.

Zeref raises his hand and another jet of black shoots from his palm towards the western door. There is mild dust and the crumbling of rocks, and there is a large hole in the door.

I gape.

He repeats the gesture several times. I hold in my yelp when someone who must have been sleeping against the door lolls onto the floor and clutches his head. It looks like Hibiki.

Mages appear the broken doorways drilled through by nothing but Zeref's magic. What is this man?

Panic builds in me as Zeref turns to this door as well. I press myself against the rocks and flatten myself at the walls as much as possible. The three of us are thin, but together, not so much.

My breath catches in my throat as the magic travels at lightning speed and collides into the door. My ears pop and suddenly I can heard nothing but a strange ringing. This always happens whenever Natsu gets into too heated a fight and blows up things.

Nicky rolls his eyes at me and I notice the side of his head bleeding. I don't have time to tell him that before everyone crowds onto the floor and Yukino's mates do too. The three of us follow them, trying to blend in as we join the crowd.

Zeref doesn't move from his position—under the faint light—as everyone titters and grumbles and groans. I stand at the back of the crowd with Nicky and Yukino and notice Gray searching once for me before turning back to Zeref.

"The doors?" someone asks sarcastically.

I am completely sure there is no reason for fear of Zeref killing the girl who questioned him. I have finally learnt, from his killing of the other Lucy and attempt to kill Yukino, that he only eliminates the weak.

"You will recreate them, with magic."

"That's not possible," Sherry says loudly. "Everyone doesn't have Healing Magic or Earth Magic."

Zeref turns to her, inclining his head to the right. Then he says again; "Today you will be branded with the new guild mark. One guild at a time."

I bite my lip and look down. My blonde bands fall down loosely from the braid I had tied.

"First," Zeref said, a menacing edge to his composed voice. "Is you," his left hand rises to point at Sherry. "And your other guild mate, of course."

It's not a genuine slip. I hear the half-amused and half-bored tone of his voice and I know he says this about Lyon. He knows Lyon is dead. I want to attack him right now, with all the power I can muster.

Gray's head is cast down. I recognize it as a sign of anger, instead of pain.

Sherry walks forward stolidly. She raises her right arm and points to her shoulder. "Here."

Zeref doesn't move. "You don't get to decide where, lady," he says, with mock respect. "Turn around."

Sherry is taken aback and she turns around as Zeref said. I don't see the usual magic stamp in his hand but he simply thrusts his index, middle and thumb forwards. His fingers touch the skin right beneath Sherry's neck.

Sherry screams. Her hands, which had been at her side, twist up and coil into tight fists as her scream increase in volume. Her knees buckled but Zeref steadies her shoulders. "Stand."

Nicky has to nudge me to get me to close my mouth.

After another minute, Sherry pants out in gasps of tearless sobs and relief. Zeref moves away from her and beckons; "Blue Pegasus."

It's as of nothing happened. Sherry walks unsteadily towards Gray again and he puts an arm around her shoulders. She starts to cry and I look away.

Eve was wearing a button down shirt and is forced to open it. Zeref marks him on the same place, below the neck and above the line in our backs. I can't see the insignia.

"This is horrid," Yukino whispers to me.

"You think?" I mumble back.

Hibiki lets out a cry of pain and then steadies himself. Eve clenches his hands into fists like Sherry. Finally Phoenix Grave is called and Nicky steps forwards along with an unknown girl.

The girl screams like Sherry did—they were the two females who bore it without silence—and Nicky lets out a sharp gasp as the insignia burns into him. My eyes widen in shock as the girl has to undress herself of her top to provide access to the skin. Tears stream down her olive cheeks and I suspect it has nothing to do with the symbol this time.

Then at last; "Fairy Tail."

I lick my dry lips. How long have I not had water?

Gray put a hand on Wendy's head as a warning and then I follow after him to the lit stones on which Zeref stands. My mouth automatically turns into a grimace at the sight of him—or whatever I can see.

Gray's blue eyes don't question me about my whereabouts in the last ten minutes, but he quickly strips himself of his shirt and lets Zeref mark him. He winces a bit but doesn't cry out. His jaw is set in determination.

As he walks past me, I see the insignia. The symbols of Tartarus and Oracein Seis rise towards the tip of Sabertooth and the three signs are enclosed by a coiled snake which rises from the middle of the three and drops to the right.

I take a deep breath and walk closer to Zeref. Then I realize with shock that my top is not exposing the necessary skin. Embarrassment and fear shakes my hands as I reach up and pull it over my head. I stand there, cheeks flaring, as I feel his fingers on my skin.

To say it burns is an understatement. The insignia send jolts of fire right into my blood and then dances with more flames. It's like the tip of a knife encased in fire is pushed deep inside and now it spreads like frost across the skin. The place below my neck tightens as the emblem burns onto it and the fire gets stronger and stronger until I clench my lower lip between my teeth to keep from crying out.

Then all of a sudden the knife is gone. The flames are extinguished.

I cannot believe it, but the skin is cold now. Zeref's fingers were unnaturally gentle when he touched my back unlike the burning of the insignia but of course, seeing his magical capabilities, I believe it shouldn't take much for him.

My eyes brim with pathetic, angry tears as I slip my top back on. In front of all these people…

"It's pathetic, really," Zeref says, as I start to walk back into the crowd. "If this is the way you mages respond to a mere insignia, what use are you to the army? How is elimination of the weak going to help us when none of you bear strength?"

About half of the people standing on the stones clench their fists and stare with hatred at Zeref. I have stopped in my tracks, my hands crossed against my shoulders.

"Let's say for instance, you really need to learn how to be brave," I tilt my head back as I see Zeref point at the glaring Yukino. "Kicked out of a guild. Unable to even face a test. This is not camp, you know. You _have_ to conquer your fears."

Yukino's cheeks flame brighter than mine or Erza's hair for that matter. People stare at her, at the mention of being kicked out, and hushed murmurs of _Sabertooth _ripples through the crowd.

I can't help it. I lunge at Zeref.

He didn't expect an attack. My magic power is absent, but I have my body. My fists collide with his jaw and he staggers back.

"Stop. Insulting. My. Friends." I hiss.

Zeref gets back on his feet and his hood falls off. My anger dissipates and so does my adrenaline.

He is handsome. Not the dark, cold creature I expected to see when he uncovered his face. His perfectly angular face looks soft, like a boy of my age, and he has dark black hair which falls over his forehead and the dark locks cover most of his left eye. His eyes are black, like his hair, and his face is so angelic and _sad_…

"Stay away," I warn, as he comes closer. His eyes have no emotion in them, none.

He is still looking at me as he orders the people; "You will all go up. Follow the west door and ascend."

Nobody moves. Zeref closes his eyes and then turns to them, his jaw set. "_Now._"

Everybody starts to march past the west door and then into the shadows of the rocks again. The heavy sound of people walking becomes a distant echo as they disappear and in a minute or so I can hear nothing but my heart beat and my ragged breath.

Zeref stares at me. I notice, in the light, he wears a silver string attached to an oval locket across his neck.

"What's your name?" he asks. I can't figure out whether danger is coming or not, his voice tone is akin to that of a person conversing with me.

"Lucy Heartfilia," I say. I meant to fill my voice with anger, the way I usually do when I speak to him. But there is an uncomfortable heat in my stomach and my voice comes out nervous.

"What magic do you use?"

"Celestial Spirit Magic."

His lips are set in a slightly south-curved line, turned down at the corners. His eyes pierce into mine and I can't look away though I want to. I am locked in his gaze like I am the prey and he is my predator. Deer and lion.

"You're making a mistake," he says to me softly. "Lucy."

I cannot explain the strange feeling.

Up till now he has always spoken in that commanding, bored monotone of his. His voice has instilled fury and intense dislike in me and his smirks have reminded me of his cruelty.

The way he speaks now, it is as if he let his guard down. As if that person was all an act and is honestly that boy-of-my-age theory in the flesh.

I would have believed it. But I have seen Zeref in action.

"What mistake?" I say harshly.

"You can't win by force," he says. "And you will be the first to train today as penalty."

"What do you mean?"

His black eyes harden. "You will pay for your rashness. I hope you remember what I said about foolish acts here."

"You think I give a damn?"

The next minute I am thrown back with such force, the breath is knocked out of my lungs. I literally see the wind rush past me as I collide into the broken doorways behind me and searing pain shoots up my head. I gasp out in pain and then find myself on the hard ground as I drop to the floor. My head throbs and my vision blurs.

I cough and blood splatters on to the rocks. My finger gentle probe the back of my head, but there is no warm liquid, only a bump which screams when I touch it.

My knees and palms are scraped and bleeding by now, counting the numerous times I have fallen and been attacked since I arrived in Clover.

Zeref's finger reach up and the next second the hood is over him again. Then he walks past me and turns back to say, "You have to _give a damn_, Heartfilia. Now get up."

"You filthy—"

He is next to me in a flash, hauling me up and pinning my shoulders against the rocks. "You will shut up," he says dangerously, pushing my head further against the rocks until it hurts too much. "And do as I say."

I fall to the floor again as he releases me. Then he walks forward and I stumble after him.

* * *

**Thank you, once again, to those following and reviewing for the story :) I hope you liked this chapter :)**


	5. Chapter 5- Protector

**Chapter Five- Protector**

"Why are you bleeding?"

Nicky looks at Zeref with a nonchalant expression, cocking an eyebrow. "I hit myself coming up."

"You found that possible?"

"Dude lay off man, it's my blood."

Obviously Nicky's words and his appraising expression takes Zeref aback.

My attacker turns to a brawl between two boys who look like the people from Yukino's room. He raises his palm and both boys are hit squarely in the chest. They fall back a few feet from each other, heaving.

I feel sore _all over._ My head pounds, my throat hurts, my palms hurt, my mouth still has the metallic taste of blood, my wounded shoulder with the thin fabric still wrapped around it throbs and I can't stand straight without feeling a sharp stab in my spine.

Perfect.

I wait beside the cornerstone which is resealing itself and the next second Gray's horrified ocean eyes lock with mine. His eyes take in my state and linger on my mouth. I wipe away the dried blood.

I will be happy to say that I would not mind if I was simply hurt all over. News flash—I am dirty and disheveled. Which annoys me far more.

"You will fight each other today," Zeref says. The early morning sun hits me in the eyes strongly, after the darkness of the chasm.

"But you have to conquer one fear first," he continues. "Once you are capable of doing that, with or without magic, you will fight with any member from any guild. The first two to go are Fairy Tail's Heartfilia and…" he looks at Yukino. "The guild-less girl."

"It's Yukino," she snaps at him. She shifts away as he turns towards her and comes to stand beside me.

"Alright. Everyone move away. Give the mages the street."

The street? I thought we would train in the Domas Flau, having an advantage due to our location.

As Yukino and I step out into the sunlight, she whispers to me, "What _happened _to you? You're bleeding all over."

"No, I'm not," I frown. Yukino sighs and points to my palms. Then her eyes slide to my knees and lastly to my neck.

I hesitantly touch the back of my neck. It's just a single cut. "I feel okay," I tell her.

We can't talk any longer. She steps away and I go backwards too. Then Zeref comes in the centre and a purple magic circle surrounds his outstretched hand. It looks like the golden circles that Hibiki uses to track.

There are numerous runes in the circle, but before I can see them properly, the street is gone. I stand on solid ground but this place is different.

Panic takes over me, again. The walls in front of me stretch for miles downwards and upwards and there are numerous panels caked with dirt attached from one wall to another. The walls to my sides are so far apart, that I cannot see them, and no matter how huge this place it is, I begin to feel trapped again.

I stand on a pretty much similar platform as was in the chasm, but it's not wide. It is enough for my two feet to stand, and three more are unequally placed near me.

I stumble a bit as I try to move and a few loose rocks fall off. I hear a faint sound of something hitting the water.

I don't speak or breathe as I wait for something to happen.

Then suddenly, the distant black door across this thin platform opens and a blinding light appears. In the centre, a broken, bleeding Levy McGarden stands.

Her form flickers and the door is swallowed by the light as she stand across from me at the other end of the ground. I feel _scared._ I am in this wide, dark place with high walls and narrow platforms to stand on or drown and a dead girl stands opposite me.

"L-Levy?" I choke out.

Her hand lifts to her heart as she opens her mouth. "Why did you kill me?"

"What?! Levy, I—" Not real. Not real.

"You were right there," she says softly. Her voice is melodious as always and it hurts to listen. "You let him kill me. To protect yourself."

I have done a good job of blocking the battle from my mind. But whatever I remember of Levy's death, I _know _that didn't happen.

Or did it?

"You _knew_, and you didn't warn me, Lucy!" she screams at me. Tears stream down her soft cheeks and the blood seeping across her clothes depends.

I did. Did I? _Did I_?! I see the battle again. I see myself shying away from the two attackers, hitting one with my magic, the one in front of me. I see the one behind me lock Levy as the easiest target there. I see him raise his arms in the deathblow Zeref tried to use. I see Levy's back arch. I see myself look away, too intent on protecting myself first.

"Just a warning Lucy," Levy whispers now, walking closer. Her legs are unstable yet she walks, like a puppet. Her hand, broken, rests by her side. Her wide eyes are filled with accusation. "That's all you had to do."

"You're not real," I say at last. My voice breaks. "Levy."

"Am I not?!" she sobs in rage, closer. "Then you wouldn't care about killing me again, would you?"

"W-what?"

She is too close now. Her tear stained face presses near mine as her hands grab my right arm. "Go on, kill me!"

"I…can't!"

"I knew it," she says. "You're pathetic enough to let your best friend die. But you're not brave enough to conquer guilt."

Not real. Not real. "Levy, please."

"You killed me, Lucy. It was not battle, it was your selfishness."

"Damn it!" I shout. Power erupts from my _Fleuve d'étoiles. _The whip rises above in a circling light of blue and golden and it lashes out at Levy.

The power disintegrates her and I drop to my knees. That was not her, I keep repeating. But her voice echoes in my mind. Her words sink deep into my heart.

The horrible place disappears. I am on the sunlit streets of Clover. I don't realize I am sobbing into my hands until I hear myself getting louder and I don't get up.

Then I remember the next part of training and I get up. What had I conquered there? That guilt shouldn't stop me from fighting? That what was said to me shouldn't affect my power?

I don't care.

Yukino takes longer than me. I notice the runes-graved purple circle still encasing her. She is motionless but I know she must be in the same position I was in. My purple circle is gone; I simply stand on the street.

My _Fleuve d'étoiles. _It worked, which must mean I still have power, and I intend to use it. Or maybe emotions channel power, it has worked before.

When Yukino too collapses on the floor, Zeref commands us to fight. I don't want to fight her. But she has power left too and she uses her keys first. I sigh, knowing I cannot use Urano Metria and end this quickly and go forward with the whip.

The next second confuses me. Her spirit tries to block my attacks when my the light circling the whip comes in contact with Yukino's skin. I expect her to fall to the ground but I let my guard down too easily. In the next second that she flips her next key, I have used up all my power.

Her spirits collide into me and I land hard on the road. I vainly tug at Leo's key, hoping against hope. It shines but he can't come out due to my power and I feel myself give up. My eyes close and I welcome some sleep.

* * *

Gray's worried eyes meet me as I come to my senses. I ignore the soreness in my body as I yawn.

"Wuzzareyoudoin'here?" I mumble groggily. Then I cough and say, "What are you doing here?"

"Well you missed the other fights when you blacked out. I carried you down before Zeref decided to throw in the river or something, and if you're interested, I won my fight against Jan."

"Hun? Like in honey?"

"Jan!" he says. "That huge guy from Gramlush Guild."

I raise a hand to my temples. "Ugh. I feel horrible."

"You look horrible," Gray corrects, but smiles when I glare at him. "You know I had to carry you down that chasm, and we fell for a really long time. At least the platforms last time were some solid ground."

"Thank you?" I yawn again. "What time is it?"

Gray gives me a weird look. "I don't exactly have an underground watch Lucy, but it's about three hours since the training. So almost noon I guess."

He pauses. "You need to tell me what he did to you."

"Zeref."

"Oh…" I sigh and narrate briefly what he said and did, editing the part about him throwing me back. I honestly can do without the extra attention.

"Where is everyone?" I ask, once Gray is done listening.

Another look. "If you remember anything about what that bloody idiot said, then we are free to be up at noon. So most people are up on Clover."

"Don't the common people get scared?" I muse.

Gray sighs and gets up. I think I annoyed him by asking stupid questions, but he says, "That's the worst part. They're scared of _us_."

"But we haven't—"

"And they don't know that," Gray says. Then he raises a hand to his temples. "Something's wrong Lucy. Even Tartarus would not go to such lengths just to make an army. How does he know we won't rebel when we're stronger?

"Because they're stronger?" I point out, rolling my eyes. "The whole of Fairy Tail guild is more than the number of mages here and it takes everything we have to defeat one major dark guild."

"Maybe you're right on that one, but," he bends down to the ice I am lying on. No wonder I am freezing again. "Think about it Lucy. Why _train _us? Why eliminate the weak? Wouldn't the logical thing be to simply force everyone into their new society?"

My head throbs painfully as something clicks in place. _Force us?_

"No wait, Gray," I rush to get all my words out. "Even if people like that girl Lucy and Yukino were alive and forced, then they wouldn't be much use."

He stares at me blankly.

I make a sound of impatience. "What I mean is, they would be an easy target to force into battle. But they're not strong enough, magically or physically. If the remaining mages here are, then once we're even stronger, you're right we can rebel no matter what. They are making a fool of themselves."

Gray's eyes suddenly widen. "No they're not…" he mutters.

"What?"

"They're buying time," he declares. "They're not training us—or whatever it is they're doing—just for the heck of it. It won't be easy to win over every guild in this world, so duh, they need strong mages. But they won't let us get to the rebel part."

"I don't quite follow you."

"We get controlled, don't you see?" Gray snaps his fingers. "Like…like puppet magic. Or that thing that Kain did, by controlling you."

Control us? That is why I suspected why someone couldn't simply say none of us would join the army. They were going to program us, control us to become their army. And we weren't strong enough to protest until they did….

"Gray, how are you sure—"

"Lucy, is there any other reason to waste a whole week making us accept our fears and become the damn strong wizards they want us to become? Why should they fight themselves, they—"

"They want us to do it for them and they know that even with Minerva and Sabretooth people can rebel. Yukino was right…we'll do their dirty work."

…or were we?

Gray's sudden burst of energy dissipates and he sits down on the ground. I can't lift my head, which feels like a metal ball, so I can only see the top of his head.

"Yukino?"

"I met her in the morning."

I take it he is about to respond when then I see a flash of black and white garments through the gaping hole in the door. Then Sherry crouches and walks in through the space.

She doesn't look at us as she speaks, "We need to do something about this."

"Uh, right," I cough. "You know where Wendy is?"

The pink-haired girl turns to me, her eyes clouded with emotions I can't place. I have learnt to ignore Sherry's reactions these days, knowing I will not understand them.

"Everyone's on the street."

Gray stands up and leans against the ice. "What about you?"

Sherry lets out an exasperated sigh. "Am I not allowed to be here?"

I frown. What's wrong with asking where she was? But her eyes harden again and she marches right past us. Her ice has begun to melt, so she simply sits down hard on the rocks and looks away, glaring.

"Friendly," I mutter. Then I slowly try to get up, testing each part. I have to be up and moving before Zeref accuses me of being weak and vaporizes me too.

I just feel sore and pretty much everywhere from my back up hurts, but it's bearable.

"We should go find Wendy," I say.

* * *

I am sleeping on ice.

And I feel hot.

The nape of my neck boils as if morphine is burning off and my long blonde hair irritates me for once in my life. I briefly consider chopping it off by summoning Cancer but then decide against. Firstly because I can't summon him right now, and secondly because I rather like my hair.

So, feeling stupid, I tear off a bit of the fabric from the left side of my top as well, so that there are almost identical cuts up till above my hip on both sides. Then I grab my hair and twist it up, tying it with the cloth.

It can't be anything to do with my fight today. I got a day off because Gray pretended I was way too injured to join in the fights, but by the time Zeref called everyone to the stone floor with a blue fire burning in the middle, I was up and hyper.

Sadly, my opponent could control two elements at the same time, fire and earth. He too had been low on magic, so he used just fire, earth magic already used up to heal his door.

Happily, I won. My whip didn't betray me, nor did my split second summon of Taurus.

I guess it's night now. Is it? It must be. We're all supposedly sleeping again.

After ten minutes I can't take it anymore. I slip past Wendy again and climb out through the hole in the door. It's large enough. Wendy was too tired to heal the door when she came back and she sleeps on the same ice as me again. She whispers 'Charles' in her sleep sometimes, worrying for her Exceed. All three Exceeds at our guild are with Makarov, which is some reassurance.

I step out on the floor. Definitely night. There is no light and I can't even make out which rocks allowed access to the sunlight before anyway.

I don't have a clue as to what I am going to do.

So I spread my arms and lie down on the centre of the grey stone floor. My eyes close and I imagine myself in Fairy Tail. Mirajane and Lisanna laugh with me at the bar counter and Natsu and Gray fight behind me.

Happy flies around my head, begging to me to tell Natsu to stop fighting until Erza lets out a frustrated groan and throws her cheesecake at them. I laugh, holding my sides, at her horrified expression.

Natsu's Fire Dragon's Roar ends up charring one of the pillar and Master ends up penalizing him again. Levy comes and sits next to me, asking me when I'll finish scribbling my last chapter. Bisca and Alzack get mushy somewhere in the guild and amused groan arise.

And then I open my eyes.

No Natsu. No Erza. No Levy.

My eyes squeeze shut as I cry for a real reason for the first time here. I let it all wash over me and then I am sobbing and pressing my fist against my lips to keep it low. I allow myself to feel homesick, I allow a bit of vulnerability.

And I can't breathe in this place. It's too trapped, and I never liked underground anyway.

I wonder…

Wiping the stupid moisture from my eyes, I begin to walk towards the west. Then I stop. How will I understand which way is up? The first time I followed Zeref to the mouth of the chasm and then got sucked by the blue Transporter orb.

I can die. Or get caught. Or lost. And I don't know Lost Magic to transport me.

I ignore all that and start to run my hands against the rocks, going left. If I go left, then I can't go in the wrong direction.

Then I take a deep breath and stop once I am far from the floor and standing in the darkness. Trying my luck, I remove a key from my waist, concentrate hard, and whisper; "Gate of the Maiden, I open thee; Virgo!"

The key glows. Then a faintly flickering Virgo appears in front of me. I missed her, but I don't waste magic by trying to hug her or say hello. I just point upwards and say, "Please."

She understands. "I can't stay long, Princess," she warns, as her fair hands take mine and I follow her deeper into the earth.

She goes at a high speed, and I realize why she is so faint. My power cannot manage this speed, so she is using her life force. My eyes sting.

When I finally arise at the very edge of the chasm, I scramble and crawl towards the door which we came through. I thank Virgo and she disappears along with the hole she created.

It takes so little time to clamber up the rocks and loose stones and reach the cornerstone, I don't realize I have to tap it and circle the insignia until I do.

Then I breathe in fresh air as I appear on the other side, on the street. The night air too is tainted with remains of the fight, but I can smell the air. I sigh in relief as I look up at stars. They shine brighter in Clover than in Magnolia.

"Hey Levy," I murmur to the stars. "How's life? Did you meet Mom?"

The stars glitter back at me.

"That's right," I agree. "It must be peaceful."

I don't know how long I lean back and stare up at the sky. In the distance the glass panels of the cathedral and is illuminated by the quiet, lit Clover. I hear the occasional cars, and laughing in the distance, but not many roam the streets. Everything seems normal, another day in Fiore.

Perhaps an hour passes until the air begins to get colder despite the summer month and I trace the insignia again. The stone doesn't open. I try twice more and on the fourth, terrified attempt it responds to the magic and groans open.

I descend, landing hard on the rocks and abusing my already injured back further. Just great. I don't wait to see if the stone closes or not, because if by any mishap someone is outside the chasm, the opening must have been heard. Damn.

I run at a slow but steady pace and breathe a sigh of relief when I catch sight of the grey-blue stone floor to the chasm. Then I slow down.

As I latch one foot over the uneven base of the gilded door to the floor, my eyes are suddenly blinded by a flash of green. Someone just walked past me.

My heart ignores my sternum and decides to reside in my throat for a second.

I press myself against the rocky wall beside the heavy door and don't breathe. I hear voices, two males and one female.

"—because it's useless," someone says. His voice is deep, quiet, calculated.

"Not exactly. As long as Lamia Scale is there—" Zeref's soft voice sends a chill down my back. I can't figure out whether it is fear or nervousness.

"Oh shut up," the female says. It takes me a long time to realize it's Minerva, from Sabretooth. "We didn't call you here for nothing, Zeref. Lamia Scale is going smoothly. Sabretooth, ironically enough, poses a problem."

"I wanted to eliminate the rebel girl," Zeref says, a hint of anger in his voice. At first I think he speaks of me, then I realize he means Yukino. "As long as she is here, she's a weak point. Especially for your White Dragon Slayer."

There is another flash of green as the male says, "We need the rest of the Dragon Slayers. But you have to let Lamia Scale take action first."

"Naturally," Minerva snaps. "The Slayers will be a huge advantage."

At this very moment, I had pressed myself against the rocks so much, that my make-shift hair-band comes off. The cloth falls to my feet and I quickly pick it up. And in the process of bending down, my blonde hair is swept back towards the open door.

The next second someone's foot collides with my back and I fall down face-first onto the ground. My breath catches in my throat in panic.

"I thought the mages were asleep!" I hear the first male's voice. I crane my neck around to see Jiemma, a staff which glowed green in his hand. It disappears as he lifts me up by the hair and I shout in pain.

"What are you doing here? What did you hear?"

Think fast. It's kind of hard to do that, considering I am facing a murderous guild master and hanging by my hair.

"I…uh got lost," I stammer. Come on, you can do better! I coughed. "I…uh wanted to catch up on training so I...came out…but uh..."

And what? I magically flew up the chasm in the dark to train?

"She's lying," Minerva's cool voice says, bored. "Just kill her, it won't harm. I remember this girl…from Fairy Tail…only the Slayers in that guild are useful."

I am thrown back and the air decided to leave my lungs. My eyes are frozen in horror as Jiemma raises his hand in a blinding flash of white light, and I know I'm going to die.

Suddenly, the light is gone. A steady white barrier surrounds me and spreads out to the sides and I am left breathing hard behind it.

Zeref stands in front of me, his right arm outstretched towards me to form the shield and his back to me as he faces my attacker.

What just happened?

"Are you insane?" Jiemma roars. "Is a mage supposed to be out here at this time?"

"I'll punish her," Zeref says. "She is strong enough to join, killing her is a waste."

The way he speaks suddenly makes me realize that Zeref is hardly in charge. The guild masters of the three guilds in the Alliance are and they have Minerva on their side. Zeref is the least of one's horrors.

"You're being too soft," Minerva chides.

Zeref's voice is dangerous. "I killed one already, Minerva. What is unnecessary has no place here."

Jiemma sighs. "Fine. Just make sure she pays for disobeying the rules."

"She will," Zeref says with finality.

The shield disappears. I don't move as Jiemma crouches closer to me. "Did you hear anything we said?"

"No," I say. "I swear."

"If I find out you're lying…" he trails off.

"You won't. I'm sorry."

"I don't care, Fairy. Take her away, Zeref."

Zeref bends down to take my left arm. His grip is strong but I don't protest as he moves forward and we both drop into the chasm.

His fingers loosen once we are out of the other two's sight but he still holds my arm as we reach the ground. A faint halo of gray forms at his feet and he lands steadily and this time, I do too.

The black hood is again lowered. As I follow him without a sound to the gray floor he raises his hand and the white orb appears to light up this place by a fraction.

"Let go of me," I say at last. He leaves my arm. His eyes are unnaturally and uncharacteristically soft but I know better than to trust him.

"Why were you outside?" he asks. His voice is not angry or soft. It's just a blank monotone and it annoys more than his anger. He is slightly taller than me, so I have to look up at him.

"Why did you protect me?" I fire.

He raises an eyebrow. "I believe I asked you first, Heartfilia."

"I went up to look at the stars."

He is obviously surprised at my answer. Then he composes himself. "I think I answered your question there. You're good for a dark guild."

"Did you just seriously say I'm—"

"Not that you're dark," he corrects. "That you're strong for the guild."

I make a sound of disbelieved laughter. "Right. That's why you look at me as if I'm the weakest."

He ignores me. I am about to simply walk back to the others when his slender fingers hesitantly brush the wound on my shoulder.

"Did I do that?"

"What?"

"When I attacked you this morning. Did I do that?"

No, your stupid test did that and you attacking me added to the injury, I think. "Decide Zeref. Either you go about chucking me at rocks or pretend to be all concerned when I'm hurt. And you know, that's what happens when you throw people."

"Don't you understand, Lucy?!" he says at last, frustrated. "I can't _be _soft with you. You have to channel your rage into your power."

What the hell is he saying?

"Don't pretend as if you don't enjoy what you do," I tell him.

His fingers lock around both my wrists, his face dangerously close. "If you think that," he hisses. "Then you know nothing about me."

"You're right, I don't," I hiss back. "And you're the vilest person I met, Zeref. So I don't _want _to know anything either."

His fingers release and he moves away from so quickly, I am disoriented. One emotion I have never seen on his face replaces the ferocity. Hurt. Hurt and pain fills his eyes and his face and all of a sudden I want to comfort him.

No. He's acting. It's all a brutal act.

"I'm not _like _this, Lucy," he whispers at last. His face contorts in some suppressed pain which confuses me. "I'm not bad. Trust me."

"It's too late, Zeref," I stare at him coldly.

Then I move around the orb and push myself in through the hole in the door. I land flat on my belly in the dark and then reach up for the ice Wendy sleeps on.

When I curl up and ignore the cold, I look up to see the door resealing itself. The rocks and dust rise up and fit together to form the solid door it was before.

As the last big rock fits into place, I see the flash of a black robe with gold lining, illuminated by a white orb of light. He healed it.

Then I close my eyes.

* * *

**Pretty long :D Like it? Please review! Thanks to everyone supporting the story :)**


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